Even film buffs won't know this. There's two films, not one, in the making about Ned Kelly.

First The True History of the Kelly Gang. Stars - Russell Crowe at Harry Power and George Mackay (Captain Fantastic) as Ned Kelly. Budget - millions of dollars. Based on - Peter Carey's novel he described to the State Library of Victoria as 'the most invented, made up book I've ever written'. Director - Justin Kurzel.

Ben Head (right), a film and TV student, with cameraman Ben Thompson.Credit:Justin McManus

Then there's the other one. Stringybark (that's the name of the creek where Kelly shot dead in cold blood the three officers sent to arrest him). Stars - Greg Stone (Van Diemen's Land, Blue Heelers, Neighbours), who plays one of the police officers). Budget - pretty small, well, $15,000 to be precise. Based on - historical fact and seen from the police side of things. Director: Ben Head, a 19-year-old film and TV student at Victorian College of the Arts (that's where Justin Kurzel went).

But why all the interest? This year marks the 140th anniversary in October of the police murders in 1878, two years before the final shootout at Glenrowan. The Stringybark reserve, which has picnic tables and walking tracks (and abandoned mine shafts) and attracts about 20,000 visitors annually, is getting a makeover. The intention is that it should better reflect the stories of the fallen Victorian policemen, who many say are overshadowed by the Kelly legend.

Doug Morrissey, author of Ned Kelly: A Lawless Life, shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards for Australian History in 2016, says we should support Ben Head's aspiration to capture historical truth on film.

Author Doug Morrissey.

He said: "It will undoubtedly be a far better film adaption of what actually happened at Stringybark Creek than the imaginative musings of a prize-winning novelist who wants us to see Ned Kelly as a Robin Hood figure.

"Can there be any doubt, that when finished the Hollywood cum Australian film will favour Ned's slanted version of the Stringybark Creek tragedy, emphasising, as always, evil policemen and a non-existent 'fair fight'.

"Ben wants to tell an accurate story of three respected police officers shot down while doing their duty. Clearly his fledgling undertaking, when compared to the Peter Carey inspired slick Hollywood film extravaganza, is to be a David versus Goliath enterprise.

Ned Kelly in chains taken by Charles Nettleton at the gaol the day before he was hanged.

Ben Head, writer and director, has on hand a horse wrangler, make up, wardrobe and an historic town in Gippsland for the location shots. He also needs to raise a further $9,000 through crowd sourcing to reach his budget and has produced a short trailer to show the quality of the production.

"The most challenging thing will be to make everything look authentic like the saddlery and the firearms.

"As a kid I often wondered why we idolise a criminal. Some attitudes to police are coloured by Ned's story.

"This is a story that needs to be told for police members, police families and is one that no-one in the mainstream has wanted to tell."

"The aim is to produce a 30-minute 'proof of concept' film which can then be shown to funding bodies such as Screen Australia and Film Victoria to demonstrate that it is worth making into a full length movie."